Elina St-Onge April 10, 2012

You Have The Right To Know: 17 Chemicals To Avoid In

Cosmetic And Personal Care Products
http://www.collective-evolution.com/2012/04/10/you-have-the-right-to-know-17-chemicalsto-avoid-in-cosmetic-and-personal-care-products/

Name of chemical substance and its formula name

Parabens C8H8O3 Methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate
List 2 physical properties of the
chemical
White crystalline powder or colorless crystals
Soluble in alcohol
List 2 chemical properties of the
chemical
The substance is slightly water hazards
Irritating to eyes, respiratory system and skin.
What kinds of products can this
chemical can be found in?
cosmetic
Why is this chemical used?
Parabens are the most widely used preservative in cosmetics. They are also used as
fragrance ingredients, but consumers wont find that listed on the label. Fragrance
recipes are considered trade secrets, so manufacturers are not required to disclose
fragrance chemicals in the list of ingredients. An estimated 75 to 90 per cent of
cosmetics contain parabens.
What are some issues with the
chemical?
Parabens easily penetrate the skinand are suspected of interfering with hormone
function (endocrinedisruption).Parabens can mimic estrogen, the primary female
sex hormone. In one study, parabens were detected in human breast cancer tissues,
raising questions about a possible association betweenparabens in cosmetics and
cancer.Parabens may also interfere with male reproductive functions.Inaddition,
studies indicate that methylparaben applied on the skin reacts with UVB leading to
increasedskin aging and DNA damage.
Why is it controversial?
There are no restrictions on the use of parabens in cosmetics in Canada. International
regulations are stronger. The European Union restricts the concentration of parabens in
cosmetics.
Parabens occur naturally at low levels in certain foods, such as barley, strawberries,
currents, vanilla, carrots and onions, although a synthetic preparation derived from
petrochemicals is used in cosmetics.Parabens in foods are metabolized when eaten,
making them less strongly estrogenic.In contrast, whenapplied to the skin and absorbed
into the body, parabens in cosmetics bypass the metabolic process andenter the blood
stream and body organs intact. It has been estimated that women are exposed to 50
mgper day of parabens from cosmetics.More research is needed concerning the resulting
levels ofparabens in people. Studies conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) didfind four different parabens in human urine samples, indicating
exposure despite the very low levels inproducts.
What is the chemical structure?
C8H8O3